A dangerous social media trend has one state agency sending out a warning to students and parents.
The “Chromebook Challenge" encourages students to insert lead or metal items like paperclips, pushpins or aluminum foil into the USB port of a Chromebook, forcing an electrical short circuit. The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services reports that this can cause lithium-ion batteries in the laptop to go into "thermal runaway," creating the release of flammable and toxic vapors which pose a serious risk of fire and even explosion.